Manchester City vs Newcastle United predictions and betting tips – Guardiola’s side resume title hunt

Manchester City have won six of the last eight Premier League titles and they have designs on the next one too. Arsenal are top as things stand, but it would be foolish to write Pep Guardiola’s team off.

Newcastle United have had to scale down their ambitions for the campaign. But can they put a dent in City’s title hopes this weekend?

• Manchester City with a -1.5 handicap – evens with 247Bet
• Manchester City to win the first half – 20/23 with BoyleSports
• Antoine Semenyo to score any time – 6/5 with QuinnBet

Manchester City vs Newcastle United odds

Find the latest Manchester City vs Newcastle United betting odds here. All odds are provided by our recommended football bookmakers and are subject to change.

Manchester City vs Newcastle United predictions

A glance at the top of the Premier League table does not completely reveal the momentum shift that has taken place over the last fortnight.

Following their draw with Wolverhampton Wanderers on Wednesday night, Arsenal’s advantage at the summit of the standings is down to five points.

Manchester City have a game in hand on the Gunners. If they win that, the gap will be trimmed to one. With Arsenal yet to visit the Etihad Stadium, the title race is very much on.

City must ensure they continue putting pressure on Mikel Arteta’s men in the weeks ahead. They will draw confidence from the fact that they tend to end seasons strongly under Pep Guardiola.

City must also believe that Arsenal will continue to wobble, as they did against Wolves. Finishing as runners-up in three consecutive campaigns puts the north Londoners under pressure to finally get over the line.

Yet City have been far from perfect up to now, and while Arsenal are likely to slip up again before the season is out, Guardiola’s team could easily do the same.

City ultimately turned the game around against Liverpool the weekend before last, coming from behind to win 2-1. But they needed two late goals to triumph at Anfield.

A few days later they stormed into a 3-0 lead against Fulham in the first half, but with better finishing the Cottagers could easily have got back into the match after the interval.

City have delivered relatively few dominant performances across the full 90 minutes this term. There have been signs of improvement of late, but this City side is still not as convincing as many of its predecessors.

Still, a home victory over Newcastle United on Saturday would put even more heat on Arsenal ahead of the north London derby the following day.

A trip to Tottenham Hotspur does not look quite so easy following the departure of Thomas Frank and the arrival of Igor Tudor. Spurs and City alike will hope for a new manager bounce for the home team.

“So 13 games from experience is a lot of time. It [the run-in] is so, so difficult, but the important thing is to be there,” Guardiola said last week.

“All we can do is breathe down the neck of Arsenal, being there, and try if they slip, if they make something [a mistake], use it.”

Manchester City vs Newcastle United betting tips

Who will triumph when Manchester City host Newcastle United this weekend?

City to march on

Newcastle United may soon turn their attention to the FA Cup and the Champions League, if they have not done so already.

A 12-point deficit to the top five means the Magpies are highly unlikely to qualify for next season’s edition of Europe’s premier competition. Their campaign will be defined by how they fare in other tournaments.

Newcastle were in action against Qarabag on Wednesday night, undertaking a 5,000-mile round trip for the first leg of their Champions League knockout play-off.

They won comfortably, but that long journey could count against them this weekend – as might their mediocre away record. City should win this one without too much trouble.

Manchester City with a -1.5 handicap at evens with 247Bet

Hosts take early control

Given Newcastle United’s midweek exertions, Guardiola will want to see his team put the visitors on the back foot from the first whistle.

City often do that anyway. They have by far and away the best first-half record in the Premier League this season.

City have held the lead after 45 minutes in 17 of their 26 league matches up to now, including in 10 of 13 home games.

Newcastle will be up against it from the get-go and we expect them to go in at the break trailing.

Manchester City to win the first half at 20/23 with BoyleSports

Semenyo straight in

Guardiola often holds new signings back, limiting their minutes before they have got up to speed with his demands.

Not Antoine Semenyo. The January recruit went straight into the Manchester City team and it would be a surprise if he was not in the XI on Saturday.

Only Erling Haaland and Igor Thiago have scored more goals than Semenyo in the Premier League this season.

The Ghana international has 13 strikes to his name. With Haaland odds-on to score any time, Semenyo is a better value pick.

Antoine Semenyo to score any time at 6/5 with QuinnBet

Manchester City vs Newcastle United predicted lineups

• Manchester City expected lineup: Donnarumma; Nunes, Guehi, Dias, Ait-Nouri; Silva, Rodri, O’Reilly; Foden, Haaland, Semenyo.
• Newcastle United expected lineup: Pope; Trippier, Thiaw, Burn, Hall; Ramsey, Tonali, Willock; Elanga, Gordon, Barnes.

Where to watch Manchester City vs Newcastle United

• Location: Etihad Stadium, Manchester, England.
• Date and time: Saturday 21st February, 8pm.
• How to watch: TNT Sports 1.

More Premier League predictions

We have plenty more Premier League predictions and picks – find our latest betting tips from expert punters in our match preview overview.

About the author

Greg Lea

Greg Lea is a freelance football writer from London. He predominantly covers the Premier League and has had work published by the Guardian, FourFourTwo, ESPN and others.

Follow Greg on X: @GregLeaFootball

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